Black Ball Ferry

The MV Coho is black, white, red, and gray, 341.6 feet long, 72 feet wide, and can carry 1,000 people and 116 vehicles at the same
time, all while sailing under a black ball.

The ferry company is the Black Ball; the ferry itself is named the MV Coho. The Coho has only one route: Port Angeles WA to Victoria, Canada, and back again.

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Appropriately named after the Coho species of Pacific salmon, the MV Coho dodges orcas, dolphins, fishing boats, sea-mountain sized container ships and submarines as she faithfully plies the waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Important Black Ball Ferry Travel Tips

A few important travel notes:

Be sure to check the Coho Ferry schedule: The Coho makes from 1 to 4 trips across the Strait of Juan de Fuca per day, fewest in the winter and most in the summer between mid-June and early September. Additionally, an extra trip may be added for certain holidays.

What to Expect on the Ferry Between Victoria BC and Port Angeles WA

Ferry passengers can enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Northwest in the warmth and comfort of the inside cabin. Or, the intrepid ones may dare to stare nature in the face outside on one of her expansive outer decks or under the covered solarium.

It'll take 90 minutes for the crossing, but no worries, there's a cafeteria for chowing down on Ivar's clam chowder, as well as pastries, sandwiches and coffee; there's also a gift shop and a duty free shop to browse when the spectacular views become unbearable.

Any visit to the Pacific Northwest should include a ferry experience! It's a huge part of how we Northwesterners get around. And the Coho is a
must-do, if at all possible.

Yes, it takes a couple hours to get to Port
Angeles from Seattle, and you can also take the fast ferry, the Clipper, which
will still take almost 3 hrs from Seattle to Victoria (see www.clippervacations.com). A regular ole' plane will work too, but if you're going to Victoria
anyway, why not take the Coho?

Okay, so it's not real fancy but it's leisurely and comfortable
with plenty of room to roam or stretch out for a nap, much more than on the express ferry or a plane. It's the experience, there are a zillion photo opportunities, and you can even bring your car.

If you dare, I highly recommend riding out the worst, uhh, the most exciting
waves while leaning up against the bow. It's a kind of wet rugged side of the
Olympic Peninsula, a watery Wild West with a vintage twist.

There's nothing like feeling the bone-deep blast of the horns just before
pulling away from the dock, watching the land fade away behind the stern and then eventually reappearing in front of the bow, and new anticipation arising for the bump indicating the Coho has nudged the dock at the end of the voyage.

We've arrived.

The Black Ball Ferry/MV Coho is an icon. The voyage is well worth it and highly
recommended, even if you spend only a few hours in Victoria BC or Port Angeles WA.

MV Coho Ferry of the Black Ball Ferry Line(A Bit of History)

Designed by Philip F. Spaulding & Associates, and built by
Puget Sound Bridge & Dry Dock in Seattle, WA, the M.V. Coho took her
maiden voyage on December 29, 1959, leaving Port Angeles WA for Victoria, BC, Canada.

With daily
sailings, aside from a two week break each January for a thorough check-up and fresh coats of paint - at
almost 60, she's taken good care of herself - the Coho has carried over 22
million passengers and 6 million vehicles between Port Angeles and Victoria. See Black Ball History.

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